Friends and neighbors,
It has been fun to see many of you at our local football games. I love our community in the fall, and the excitement surrounding its growth and the new opportunities available to new and established residents. Representing Maple Grove and Osseo gives me an opportunity to thank those who make our cities a better place to live and work, and do my part to improve our cities for future generations.
Thank You to Al Madsen
Al Madsen, who has served Maple Grove as City Administrator since 1997, (and served our city in other roles long before that!) will be retiring at the end of October. Al has been instrumental in changing Maple Grove for the better – allowing businesses to grow, improving residential areas, and making wise choices to bring our city into a new era. Both as City Administrator and as a resident, Al has been an ardent supporter of Maple Grove and its residents. Like many of you, I am so grateful for Al and his indelible impact on our city. Thank you for your service, Al!
94 Opening
Over the past year, many of you reached out to me to share how road construction was impacting your commute or your neighborhood. I am proud to report that traffic should begin to return to normal – and even improve – as I-94 is now open. Some cleanup will continue in the coming days but everything should be running smoothly in no time. The completion of I-94 in our area is an example of how we can work together and pass a plan to improve Minnesota’s roads and bridges throughout the state. I am pleased that our city will be connected to more neighboring communities through this important and long overdue project.
Protecting our Small Businesses from Predatory Lawsuits
This past session, I was shocked to hear from local business owners who have been experiencing severe legal action by attorneys seeking to profit from non-ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) compliant businesses. While I certainly believe that our businesses and organizations should be available to all people, I am concerned of the impact of these predatory lawsuits on our small businesses in our community. I have been in contact with state agencies to learn how we can help our businesses gain compliance to avoid legal action.
If your business is in need of guidance to attain compliance with ADA regulations, or has been impacted by these predatory lawsuits, please reach out to my office and I will put you in touch with representatives from the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce and State Council on Disability. As we approach the 2016 legislative session, I remain committed to ensuring that our businesses are protected from unnecessary legal actions brought about by lawyers simply looking to profit.
If you would like to discuss these or any other issues, please feel free to contact me via email at Rep.Dennis.Smith@house.mn, or via phone at (651) 296-5502.
I look forward to seeing you at our community’s fun fall events.
Have a great weekend!
Dennis